The invention relates to providing data services in a communication network.
Some data communication systems enable data services for data communication (e.g., data packets) leaving or entering a network end station (e.g., a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a handheld computer, or a cell phone). One technique used to provide data services (e.g., caching and/or content filtering) is to route all data packets coming from or going to the end station through a proxy server. For example, a Web proxy server in communication with an end station can provide a local cache of Web pages and files available on remote Web servers, enabling the end station to access them more quickly and/or reliably. If the end station requests a connection, file, or other resource available on a remote Web server, the proxy server provides the resource from the cache if it is available or, if not, by connecting to the specified server. In some cases, the Web proxy server may alter the end station's request or the server's response for various purposes including content filtering.